VCOF0067

OmniFocus: Dictate Note

Displays a dictation input view for entering text to be used to either replace or append to the note of the selected project or task.

Scope and Syntax

Language: English (United States 🇺🇸 · Great Britain 🇬🇧 · Australia 🇦🇺 · Canada 🇨🇦) • Scope: OmniFocus

Command phrase variations (words in [brackets] are optional):

• Dictate Note for Item

Requirements

• Application: OmniFocus 4, OmniFocus: 3.13
• System: macOS 12.3, iOS 15, iPadOS 15

PLAY PAUSE BACK REWIND

Installing voice commands on iOS/iPadOS While Apple’s mobile operating systems currently do not support the Open URL action used in the voice commands files provided on this website, you can still create and use customized Omni Automation voice commands for iPhones and iPads! To create your voice commands, we’ll use specialized Shorcuts workflows that you can “tap-to-install” from the various example pages. Simply follow these steps or view the illustrated instructions here: First, install an Omni Automation shortcut from one of the provided links. (below) Next, in the mobile Settings app, tap Accessibility ▸ Voice Control ▸ Customize Commands ▸ Custom ▸ Create New Command… and in the forthcoming New Command interface select the installed shortcut as the value for the “Action” parameter. Enter one of the command phrases from the example’s documentation page (above) for the value of the “Phrase” property, and… Finally, set the value of the “Application” parameter to either “Any” for global access or choose the Omni app to target from the provided list of installed applications. You can then activate Voice Control and use your voice command to trigger the shortcut to run the Omni Automation script!

Downloads

• ⇩ SHORTCUT-LINK (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)

NOTE: Installation instructions for Shortcut-based command on macOS, are found here.

Shortcut

(NOTE: detailed documentation regarding the use of Shortcuts with Omni Automation can be found in the Shortcuts Section of this website.)

The action of this voice command is performed by the execution of the shortcut linked above. This shortcut contains two Omni Automation scripts: the first for identifying the selected project or task, and the second for appending or replacing the note of the selected item with the contents of the dictation.

The following script (1 of 2) checks for a single selected project or task, and then passes the “primary key identifier” of the object to the next action in the shortcut.

Identify Selected Item
Copy

(async () => {
	try {
		function createUtterance(textToSpeak){
			AlexID = (
				(app.platformName === "macOS") ? 
				"com.apple.speech.synthesis.voice.Alex" : 
				"com.apple.speech.voice.Alex"
			)
			voiceObj = Speech.Voice.withIdentifier(AlexID)
			voiceRate = 0.4
			utterance = new Speech.Utterance(textToSpeak)
			utterance.voice = voiceObj
			utterance.rate = voiceRate
			return utterance
		}
		var synthesizer = new Speech.Synthesizer()

		// CHECK FOR SINGLE SELECTED PROJECT OR TASK
		var sel = document.windows[0].selection
		var selCount = sel.tasks.length + sel.projects.length 
		if(selCount === 1){
			if (sel.tasks.length === 1){
				var selectedItem = sel.tasks[0]
			} else {
				var selectedItem = sel.projects[0]
			}
		} else {
			throw {
				name: "Selection Issue", 
				message: "Please select a single project or task."
			}
		}

		// PROMPT USER TO BEGIN DICATATION
		utterance = createUtterance("Begin Dictation!")
		utterance.postUtteranceDelay = 0.5
		synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)

		// RETURN ID TO SHORTCUT SO OTHER ACTIONS CAN USE IT
		return selectedItem.id.primaryKey
	}
	catch(err){
		utterance = createUtterance(err.message)
		synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
		throw new Error(-128)	
	}
})();

The following script (2 of 2) receives the contents of the previous dictation action and uses it and the passed-in primary key value to locate the selected project or task. The script first prompts the user as to whether to append or replace any existing note text in the selected object.

Append/Replace Note
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(async () => {
	try {
		function createUtterance(textToSpeak){
			AlexID = (
				(app.platformName === "macOS") ? 
				"com.apple.speech.synthesis.voice.Alex" : 
				"com.apple.speech.voice.Alex"
			)
			voiceObj = Speech.Voice.withIdentifier(AlexID)
			voiceRate = 0.4
			utterance = new Speech.Utterance(textToSpeak)
			utterance.voice = voiceObj
			utterance.rate = voiceRate
			return utterance
		}
		var synthesizer = new Speech.Synthesizer()	

		// CREATE AND DISPLAY FORM
		var editMethodMenu = new Form.Field.Option(
			"editMethod", 
			null, 
			["Replace", "Append"], 
			["Replace", "Append"], 
			"Replace"
		)
		inputForm = new Form()
		inputForm.addField(editMethodMenu)
		formPrompt = "Use dictation to:"
		utterance = createUtterance("Replace or Append?")
		synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
		formObject = await inputForm.show(formPrompt, "Continue")
		editMethod = formObject.values["editMethod"]

		// RETRIEVE PASSED ID AND TEXT FROM INPUT (ARGUMENT)
		passedID = argument.input.objectID
		dictatedText = argument.input.dictation
		selectedItem = Task.byIdentifier(passedID)
		if(!selectedItem){selectedItem = Project.byIdentifier(passedID)}
		if(editMethod === "Replace"){
			selectedItem.note = dictatedText
		} else {
			selectedItem.note = selectedItem.note + "\n" + dictatedText
		}

		// ANNOUNCE COMPLETION
		utterance = createUtterance("Done!")
		synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)

		// RETURN ID TO SHORTCUT SO OTHER ACTIONS CAN USE IT
		return selectedItem.id.primaryKey
	}
	catch(err){
		if(!err.message.includes("cancelled")){
			utterance = createUtterance(err.message)
			synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
			// new Alert(err.name, err.message).show()
		}
	}
})();